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In House Survey

Every move is different, but the factors of every move are the same: what needs to be moved, what are the specifications of the locations of the move, and what do you need from your mover? These are the basics that RL Relocation needs to plan the move and provide you with an estimated price. Without this information, the company has no idea how many movers and trucks to send, what equipment to bring, how long the move will take, and which services you need. The best and most efficient way to obtain this information is to do an in house estimate.

After you’ve done your research and selected a few moving companies the next step is to call the company and schedule a moving company in-home estimate. Below we will discuss why an estimate, done in house is so important to your move. Recently we have seen a rise in Yelp trying to give an estimate via a small template. These just do not work, for you or the moving company. Why? Well, every move is different, and everyone’s idea of volume is as well. You may think it’s pretty straight forward, but there are plenty of “change order” charges moving companies can add to your bill if necessary. Need appliances moved, they can charge for that. Have a long carry or flights of stairs? They can charge for that.

Doing an in house survey really allows the moving company, like RL Relocation to cover all the details and give you the home owner, a fair price, this leaves out the SURPRISE charges that often happen to customers who are unaware of hidden, or extra charges.

During the in-home survey, a representative from RL Relocation will visit your home. Together you will do a walk through of the property so they can take an inventory of what needs to be moved. The inventory is the key to estimating your move.

After the survey, you can discuss which services are required, the move plan, pricing, and any of your questions. The in-home survey usually takes about 25-45 minutes depending on the size of your property and how many questions you have.

The process for a phone survey is exactly like an in-home survey, except you will list the furniture room by room over the phone with the guidance of the representative. If you have a smaller move, such as a two bedroom apartment or less, the moving company can do a pretty accurate survey over the phone instead of in your home. Please try to have a list ready. Sometimes emailing an inventory list or pictures may be requested these visuals really help.

If your home is larger than a two bedroom apartment, it is much more difficult to create an accurate inventory over the phone, so the in-home survey is highly recommended. Also, if you are moving long distance or out of state, phone estimates are very hard to do, and should almost be ruled out.

Be sure to have some questions in mind:

1. Do you need packing, is there anything expensive or fragile that may need crating, or special services you are unable to do yourself?

2. Do you have a lot of stairs, elevator, or long carry from the home to the moving trucks available parking? Do you require a parking permit, or have an HOA which limits hours of opporation?

3. Do you have appliances that need to be moved, do you need them uninstalled and re installed?

4. Do you have guns, safes, or any items that may need special service or special notes on inventory lists?